Maytham al-Tammar
Maytham ibn Yaḥyā Dhul Hijjah 60 H (November 20, 680 AD). | |
---|---|
Burial Place | Kufa, Iraq |
Coordinates | 32°00′25″N 44°20′19″E / 32.00694°N 44.33861°E |
Father | Yaḥyā |
Son |
|
Religion | Islam |
Maytham ibn Yaḥyā al-Tammār al-Asadī al-Kūfī or Meesum al Tammar (
Birth and early life
Maytham ibn Yaḥyā was born at Nahrawān, an area near Kūfa.[2] He was the son of Yaḥyā, hence, ibn Yaḥyā (which means son of Yaḥyā).
Early life
A lady from Banu Asad bought Maytham (as a slave).[2] Accordingly, Maytham worked for this lady until the caliphate of Ali.[3][4]
Maytham's titles
As a slave of
Freedom from slavery
After the time of Muhammad and the death of
Maytham's first encounter with Ali
After Ali set him free, he greeted Salim by the name Maytham. Still shocked, Maytham willing went with Ali who would later become his best friend and teacher.
Salim (a.k.a. Maytham) himself narrates this event:
- Ali: "Salamu alaykum Maytham."
- Salim: "What did you say?"
- Ali: "Salamu alaykum Maytham."
- Salim: "Nobody knows my name except my parents. How did you know my name?"
- Ali: "Do not worry, there are areas of knowledge that I may know, which you do not know. Come near me. I want you to come with me."
- Salim: "How did you know my name? There is no one in Kufa that knows me by Maytham. My mother named me Maytham. Only a person of great knowledge knows that thats my original name."
- Ali: "Come with me do not worry. Allah's Apostle (Prophet Muhammad) has told me that the Iranians call you Maytham."
- Salim: "Allah and His Apostle are truthful."[2][5]
Other narrations state that Ali ibn Abi Talib tells Salim, "Your name is Maytham, you are Iranian, you are of Iranian origin. Be proud of your Iranian origin."[17]
The Counterfeit Money Incident
The caliph, Ali, would at times visit the market place of Kufa.
Maytham himself narrates this event:
- Ali: "Maytham go and have a break. Go and pray your Salah. I will look after your date stall."
- Maytham: "Very well. Try and sell a few dates if you could sell anything."
- Ali: "Do not worry, just go and pray."[5]
(Other variation of this event says that Maytham wanted to go and buy something. Another variation states that Ali said to Maytham to go and give your family some time.)[2][17]
Maytham comes back:
- Maytham: "O Amir al-Momineen (Ali), did you manage to sell?"
- Ali: "Yes, I managed to sell."
- Maytham: "How much?"
- Ali: "I managed, Dirhams (currency) worth of dates.)[2]
- Maytham: "Where the money?"
- Ali: "Here is the money."
- Maytham: "Imam this person has given you bitter money (fake money). It's not real."
- Ali: "Maytham sit down, do not worry. Allah will provide Rizq (sustenance/livelihood). The owner of the dirhams (money) will come back."
- Maytham: "The man bought the dates by false dirhams! Why will he come back?"[2][5]
The man returns:
- The Man: "These dates that you have given me taste bitter." (Some variants say "I don't want these dates! They are bitter! Why are they bitter?")
- Ali: "Because the money you gave was bitter" (Some variants say "Because your dirhams are false!")[2][5]
Maytham's Views of Ali
Maytham viewed Ali in a very positive light. He saw him as a humble and down to earth
Teachings of Ali
As the cousin of Muhammad, Ali would follow his footsteps and educate people about the teachings of Islam. He taught/trained many religious scholars both Muslims and non-Muslims.[19][20] Among these religious scholars was Maytham al-Tammar.[19][20] Ali ibn Abi Talib took Maytham under his wings, he taught Maytham many secrets about faith, religion, and the world. In addition, he taught Maytham many branches of knowledge, including ilm-e-Manaya wal Balaya (esoteric knowledge of future events) and ilm-e-Taweel (interpretation and exegesis of the Quran).[2][5][21] It is documented that Ali would take Maytham to a nearby desert in the middle of the night to teach him about future affairs/matters/events.[2] At times with the permission of his master/teacher, Maytham used to acquaint the public about the deep secrets that he learned from Ali.[2] On account of the frank speech of Maytham, people used to think that Maytham had lost his head/gone insane.[2] They could hardly understand the depth and logic of his words.
Teachings narrated by Maytham:
- "Ali ibn Abi Talib taught us the first lesson in life that whatever job you have as a human being, if your earning wealth in Halal it's a worship of Allah (God)."[5][18]
Ilm-e-Manaya wal Balaya
As a student of Ali, Maytham was taught various categories of knowledge.
Maytham The Scholar
Maytham became one of the top scholars of his time, in part of his desire to increase his understanding about various subjects and the teachings of Ali.
Prophecy of death
Once Ali ibn Abi Talib, told Maytham that he would be hanged on account of the love for the Imam of his time. He also gave the address and told him that he would be hanged in a farm next to the house of Amr ibn Huraith. The tree on which he would be hanged was the smallest of the ten trees existing in the farm at that time. Maytham was also informed that his tongue would be cut out because he would not stop praising his Imam of time (Ali ibn Abi Talib). After getting this information, it is recorded in history that, Maytham used to go to the tree pointed out by Ali ibn Abi Talib, clean the place and water the tree and offer prayers saying, "O tree! You are for me and I am for you. Months and years passed by, Ali was martyred then
Confrontation with ibn Ziyad
In 60
Final days and death
Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad ordered Maytham to be jailed and sent him to al-Tamura, a fearful prison underground, Mukhtar al-Thaqafi was in the same prison with Maytham.[22] Maytham and Mukhtar would hold conversations in prison but later on the orders of Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad he was ordered to be hanged for creating mischief. Maytham was brought to the same tree to be hanged as pointed out by Ali ibn Abi Talib. Maytham began singing the praises of his master Ali, and about a thousand people gathered to see Maytham being hanged. Even after being hanged, the tongue of Maytham went on singing the praises of Ali ibn Abi Talib. Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad was informed about this and the tyrant ordered that the tongue of Maytham to be cut and thus the prophecy of Ali ibn Abi Talib came true and Maytham died after his tongue was cut out.
The book Nafasul Mahmoom states that "Maytham was martyred ten days before Husayn ibn Ali came to Iraq." Husayn entered Sharraf, on the border of Iraq and Hejaz on the 25th of Dhul Hijjah 60AH.[23]
Violence at Maytham al-Tammar's Shrine
In 2006, a suicide bomber detonated his vehicle implosive explosive device near the shrine of Maytham al-Tammar in Kufa, Iraq.[24] He detonated his vehicle bomb in between two vans carrying Iranian pilgrims.[24] Twelve innocent civilians were killed and 37 more were injured as a result of the car bomb.[24] Out of the 12 killed 8 were Iranians and out of the 37 that were injured 22 of them were Iranian.[24]
See also
- Abbas ibn Ali
- Ali ibn Abi Talib
- Ali ibn Hussayn
- Hasan ibn Ali
- Husayn ibn Ali
- Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah
- Maitham Al Bahrani
- Sahaba
References
- ISBN 9780791494608.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai Kamāl, Sayyid. Maytham Al-Tammar. Trans. Jasim Alyawy. Qum, Iran: Ansariyan Foundation, n.d. Print.
- ^ a b c Mufīd, Muḥammad Ibn Muḥammad. The Book of Guidance into the Lives of the Twelve Imams = Kitāb Al-irshād. Trans. I. K. A. Howard. Elmhurst, NY: Tahrike Tarsile Qurʼan, 1981. Print. p. 243
- ^ ISBN 0932625002p. 281
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj Nakshawani, Ammar. "Biography of Maytham al-Tammar". Lecture. Muharram. Canada, Toronto. Thaqlain, 29 Nov. 2009. Web. 05 July 2013.
- ^ ISBN 1851683313p. 42
- ^ "View Name: Tamar". Behind the Name. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 July 2013.
- ISBN 1-904063-36-5Pg.17
- ISBN 1-85043-763-7.
- ^ Khattab, A. M. Islam's Position on Slavery. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print. p. 2
- ^ Ahmad, Mirza B. Islam and Slavery. Qadian, India: Dawat-o-Tabligh, 1975. Print.
- ^ "How Islam Tackled the Problem of Slavery". Islamweb. N.p., 18 Mar. 2012. Web. 18 July 2013.
- ^ Shah, Zia H. "Concubines and The Holy Quran". The Muslim Times. N.p., 2010. Web. 19 July 2013.
- ^ "Slavery in Islam". BBC News. BBC, 07 Sept. 2009. Web. 18 July 2013
- ^ Nakshawani, Ammar. "How & Why Islam Reformed Slavery". N.p., 15 July 2007. Web. 19 July 2013.
- ^ Maudoodi, Syed Abul ʻAla. Human Rights in Islam. Leicester: Islamic Foundation, 1976. Print. p. 20
- ^ a b c Razawi, Ali Abbas. "Maytham Al-Tammar". N.p., 25 Jan. 2013. Web. 05 July 2013.
- ^ a b c d Yusufali, Shaneali. "Maytham al-Tammar". Knowledge 2011: 12-13. Print. p. 12
- ^ ISBN 1438414269p. 145
- ^ ISBN 1907905065p. 7
- ^ ISBN 0791467384pp. 93, 122, 129
- ^ al-Syyed, Kamal. "Maytham al-Tammar". Mukhtar al-Thaqafi. Qum, Iran: Ansariyan Foundation. p. 7. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ Qummi, Abbas. Nafasul Mahmoom Relating to the Heart Rending Tragedy of Karbala. Mumbai, India: Islamic Study Circle, 2001. Print. Ch.13 Section 9
- ^ ISBN 1606760157p. 149